Every You, Every Me
by girloncaffeine
Summary: Odin is repulsed by the discovery that the love between his sons is greater than it should be between brothers , so he decided to punish them. This results in Thor and Loki spending hundreds of years apart, forced to live as commoners and rid of all their previous memories. Sometimes, they manage to meet, not recognizing each other, but there's this feeling of... (Loki/Thor AU)
1. Prologue

**A/N: Obviously, I own nothing, the characters belong to Marvel and Disney**

**Warning: Mature content ahead, sibling incest and possible violance in upcoming chapters, you've been warned. Oh yeah, and this is totally gay.**

One would think that a life of a god was easy, living in plenty, enjoying immortality, unbothered by problems of regular folk, watching as ages go by, while you remain the same, surrounded by your loved ones. Well, that was true in one way or another, at least as long as you followed the rules of the world you lived in. If you were a good child who listened to your parents, if you followed the advice of the elderly, trained how to become a respectable scholar or an honourable warrior, chances were you were going to have a good life.

And having a good life, in Thor's and Loki's case, included finding a lovely wife and settling down, having a bunch of cute and well behaved children and continue to live and watch on as the worlds around them changed. Now that would have been something to make their father and the All-father of the Aesir, Odin, very proud of his sons. But faith had it differently and made a cruel joke on the almighty Odin, denying him the happiness he has hoped for.

What started out as a simple walk around his palace, ended up as a horrid family feud, for what Odin has seen that day, made him want to dig his only remaining eye out. The horror he witnessed enraged him, causing him to go berserk and do something what he would later come to regret.

In a secluded, dark corner of a corridor, he saw his son Thor in the middle of an activity that should have been kept in the bedroom. Or in this case – it shouldn't have happened anywhere. All Odin saw was his broad back and messy blond hair, as he was pinning someone into the wall. No father should want to observe his child in the midst of such deed, so he decided to ignore it and passed by him unnoticed as quickly as he could. Thor was so focused on devouring his latest pursuit that he sensed no other presence in the corridor. But then, Odin heard a voice too familiar to ignore and it wasn't coming from Thor.

"Ah! Stop it! Not here, darling."

That voice belonged to his other son, Loki.

Odin turned on his heel and rushed back, just to see as Thor was lifting Loki up, while his brother wrapped his legs around his back.

The expression of pleasure on Loki's face as well as Thor's low grunts were something that continued to haunt Odin for years to come. He just stood there, unable to speak, screaming on the inside.

As Thor pushed the other man higher up, Loki opened his eyes for a moment and noticed their father, silently standing in the corridor, his face pale as if he were a ghost. He pushed Thor away instantly, causing him to fall back on his ass, while he himself quickly pulled up his pants, trying to hide their shame. But it was too late, they were already discovered.

"What is this madness, what are you doing?!"

Odin finally spoke out, his voice filled with anger and disappointment, storming through the halls and making the blood in their veins go cold.

"Father!" Thor stood up from the floor. "This is not what it seems! We were merely fighting, you know how we are, bickering all the time, unable to agree." He forcibly smiled and looked first at Odin and then at Loki, whose expression was far more serious.

"Right, Loki?!" Thor wanted a confirmation but his brother was silent.

"Do you think me a fool?!" Odin growled from the depth of his lungs. "I may have one eye left but I am not blind. Your prick is hanging out of your bottoms."

Thor quickly tugged his penis back into his trousers and looked at the floor, all red in his face.

"This… happens sometimes, I don't know why. I should probably find some new clothes. These are… malfunctioning." He still tried to make it as if Odin was wrong to come to the conclusion that the two of them were fucking.

"What have I done to deserve this? Mating like animals under my roof?!" Odin continued.

"No! I told you, we were just fighting! Tell him, Loki! Loki?!" Thor's voice sounded more and more desperate with each sentence that came out of his mouth.

"Father!" Loki looked straight at Odin, completely disregarding Thor's pleading. "I am sorry for disappointing you."

"You should have thought of that before fornicating with your own brother." Odin's look was stern, more angry than disappointed. "What will I do with the two of you now?!"

"Father…" Thor started but was interrupted by Odin.

"Silence! I wish not to see or hear from the two of you for a while. Once I figure out how to deal with this matter, I shall call for you. Until then… try and not to show yourselves before my eyes. Deviants!" He said and turned around, leaving Thor and Loki by themselves, in the dark of the corridor where he first stumbled upon them.

First, they both stood there in silence, still unable to comprehend what just happened.

"Loki…" Thor finally spoke out, moving a step closer to Loki, trying to grab his arm and pull him closer.

"Get away from me!" Loki screamed angrily, slapping away Thor's hand.

"Brother, I…" Thor's eyes have gotten wider; he seemed really hurt by this action of Loki. He didn't know why he was getting denied all of the sudden, when just few moments earlier he was more than welcome to touch him all over his body.

"I told you! I told you not to do it here! But you just wouldn't listen, always so stupid and insatiable. This is your fault!"

"I didn't think he will see us. I'm sorry." Thor said sincerely.

"You never do! You never think! What's the point of having this huge head attached to your shoulders when you never use it?!" He hit Thor on the head with his palm and started walking away.

"Loki! Where are you going?" Thor started following him, while rubbing the place on his forehead where Loki has landed his hit. It sure stung a bit, but he was ready to disregard it since he had a bigger problem on his hands.

"Where does it look like I'm going?! To my chambers, where I'll lock myself up and if I'm lucky enough I'll die from shame before we have to face the old man." Loki hissed.

"Wait! Shouldn't we talk about what just happened? What do you think father will do to us?" He walked one step behind Loki, following him all the way to his rooms.

"Knowing father, he's probably already planning our wedding." Loki said sarcastically.

"You think?" Thor's face suddenly brightened up but he soon realised he was yet again being a target of his brother's quick wit. "I know you're joking, I'm not that stupid."

"You're stupid enough to fuck me in the corridor for the whole world to see. After I told you I don't want it! This is on you, Thor! This is your fault! I fail to find words to explain how much I hate you right now!" Loki let it all out once they reached his door.

"You make it seem as if I have taken you against your will. Is that what you think of me? That I have defiled you, that I have forced myself upon you?" Thor just stood there, the heartbreak almost visible on his face. And what was that in the corners of his eyes? Tears?!

For a moment, Loki thought that blaming Thor for everything would not be such a bad idea after all. If he told Odin how he was forced by Thor, maybe at least he could face a lesser punishment or no punishment at all, since he was a victim of this brute after all.

His eyes sparkled for a moment, the wheels in his head turning, he was ready to congratulate himself on this bright idea, but then was when he saw it. That look in Thor's eyes… he resembled an abandoned overgrown puppy and not even Loki could kick a puppy.

"I swear, you'll be the end of me." Loki sighed, his facial expression softening and his arms opening up for an embrace. "Come here, you."

Thor didn't hesitate a second and he readily plunged into his brother's arms, digging his face in the crook of Loki's neck.

"I promise we'll get through this together, just don't hate me. I couldn't stand it if you hated me." He pushed Loki into the hardwood door and put his arms around him, placing his hands onto the small of Loki's back.

"I sure wish I hated you, Thor! It wouldn't have come to this if I hated you." Loki took a deep breath and gently stroked the blond locks that were resting on his shoulder.

All of the sudden, he felt something crawling up to his behind, namely, Thor apparently used this moment of cuddling to put his hands on Loki's ass, grabbing it and squeezing his cheeks tightly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Loki asked without breaking the contact.

Thor raised his head from Loki's shoulder and smiled devilishly.

"Continuing? We were interrupted and I didn't come. I feel all pent up now." He said bluntly, expecting Loki to understand.

"You fucking idiot!" Loki shouted, his knee connecting with Thor's crotch, causing him to end up curled up on the ground.

"Lokiiiii!" Thor winced in pain. "Why did you do this?" He was genuinely surprised.

"Just go and die, Thor!" Loki seeped with anger and went into his room, shutting the massive door with a bang, leaving Thor on the outside, crawling on the floor, trying but failing to get up.

"This hurts so much…." He gasped.

* * *

It didn't take much for Odin to call his sons to the throne room, where he was waiting for them, together with his wife Frigga. He walked up and down the hall, his hands on his back, looking older than usual, while Frigga tried to reason with him.

"You can't do this to them, they are our boys, our sons."

"Precisely because of that I can. What if someone was to find out about this, that my sons are incestuous sodomists who fuck each other under my roof, like wild animals? Has the house of Odin sunk so low?" He said desperately.

"No one has to know. This can stay between the four of us. Don't take my boys away from me, Odin." She said tearfully.

"There is no other way, Frigga. You haven't seen what I have seen. They were… Ugh, I can't close my eye without seeing that horrendous scene!"

"We can send them to the mountains for a year or two. Or into the forest. Until they cool off and think about what they have done, but not this. Because this is not only punishing them, but also us."

"Maybe we are the ones who should be punished. We raised them. We failed to notice. We ended up having two sons who prefer putting it into each other rather than getting married to nice women and giving us grandchildren."

"Maybe it's not that bad, Odin. They are not related by blood, maybe it's not that big of a deal."

"They were raised as brothers!" Odin yelled at his wife, causing her to take a step back. "Don't try to make it seem harmless, woman. Our children have brought dishonour on this house, on this kingdom. They need to see a punishment fitting to their sin."

Before she could reply to that, a servant announced Thor and Loki being ready to see their father.

As soon as they stepped into the huge hall, their mother ran to them, hugging one then the other, trying to tell them that everything was going to be all right as long as she was by their side and that she wouldn't let any harm come to them.

"I would like to speak to my sons alone." Odin said sternly, letting Frigga know she was not welcome there.

"Husband, please…" She tried to argue her case, but the old man was not giving in.

"It's ok, mother." Thor nodded and smiled at his mother gently, reassuring her to do as Odin says.

As she left the hall, she used the opportunity to squeeze both of their hands one more time, as a sign of support and understanding.

Once they were alone with father, they approached him and kneeled before him, ready to hear out his judgement.

Thor turned his head to his right, just to see Loki one more time. He hoped that maybe their eyes will meet, but Loki was looking straight ahead, not paying much attention to his older brother. Although his crotch was still throbbing from the kick it received earlier, all was already forgiven.

Odin cleared his throat and started.

"I thought about strangling the both of you with my bare hands, but your mother would probably hate me for it forever."

Thor gulped loudly, immediately averting his gaze from his brother, while Loki instinctively touched his own throat.

"I don't care what you have to say in your defence, for there is nothing that would excuse such a shameful deed. Out of love, or out of pure lust… I don't know why you did it nor do I know which is worse."

"We love each other!" Thor interrupted him (which was never a good idea), causing Loki to roll his eyes and Odin to feel nauseous.

"Oh, shut up, Thor!" Loki hissed angrily.

"But we do, don't we? That time in the garden, have we not exchanged the words of love?" Thor turned his head to Loki who now looked back at him, his face frightened.

"Don't do this. Not now."

"He has to know! He has to know that we didn't do it out of wantonness or boredom!" Thor stood up and continued, now speaking directly to Odin.

"I love this man. With all my heart and body! I know he is my brother even though we are not bound by blood… We are family, and I shouldn't have such feelings. But I do! I love him!"

Thor was unexpectedly enthusiastic in explaining his feelings, motioning with his hands, pounding his chest and spitting as he spoke.

On the other hand, Loki was silent, he remained kneeling in front of their father, his gaze focused on the floor. He hoped Thor would be finished soon, for he was really starting to feel dizzy from all of these recent events.

"Enough!" Odin grunted and ordered Thor to get back on his knees until the punishment has been said.

"How about you, Loki? Do you wish to say something in your defence?"

"Would my words change anything?" Loki asked with monotony in his voice.

"They wouldn't."

"Then I wish to stay silent." He answered, still looking at the floor.

"Loki!" Thor whelped.

"Silence!" Odin tried to force back his authority.

In the brief moment Loki has finally decided to throw his brother a quick glance, all he saw was disappointment and despair. But what was the point of standing up and proclaiming his forbidden love, when the old man has already made up his mind.

"What you need is time apart. Until you forget those feelings and desires you have for one another. You will not see each other, you will not hear each other, you will not know each other. You will be sent to Midgard, where you will live as ordinary folk, with no memories of this place, the lives you have left behind, or each other. You will be born into families you will consider your own and your paths shall never cross. And you will remain there for a millennium, being reborn each time miles away from each other, until you erase each other's existence from your minds and upon returning to Asgard, the other will be nothing but a distant memory."

"No! Father! You can't do this! You can't!" Thor started to be unruly, breathing heavily as he tried but failed to get up.

"Brother, don't make a scene…" Loki said and noticed his own hand was shaking.

"Didn't you hear him, Loki?! He wants to keep us apart for a millennium! That's one thousand years!"

"I know what a millennium is, thank you, Thor." Loki tried to remain his usual calm and collected self but somehow, he has started to feel this strange emotion of uneasiness around his heart. He grabbed his chest and noticed how his heart beat was much faster and louder than usual and not in a good way, like those times when he was in bed with Thor.

Frigga rushed into the throne room, apparently she has spent the whole time just outside the door, eavesdropping.

"Think about this one more time, husband, I beg of you!" She shouted, but it was too late.

Thor grabbed his head, trying to figure out the reason for this sudden dizziness and Loki was already on the floor, watching as the ceiling spun around him. Odin has cast a spell on them, one that would leave their bodies nothing but empty shells, while their spirits travelled to another realm, where they are to be reborn as other beings.

"What have you done to my children?!" Frigga wept as she threw herself on the floor, trying to bring her boys back, turning her attention from one to the other, caressing their lifeless faces. "I didn't even get to say goodbye…"

"A thousand years. It will fly by just like that, don't worry." Odin was of little comfort. "You'll see them again soon. Now we should prepare one of the chambers where they could rest peacefully. But not next to each other, of course. The chambers should be separate, we don't want to encourage them once they wake up."

He said and earned nothing but an angry glare from his wife.


	2. Theodore & Lot

Theodore was born on a stormy night in year 1075., somewhere in the countryside, in the middle of Kingdom of France, where nobody batted an eye once he was left at the gate of the monastery. At least he was given away to someone instead of being drowned in the river like an unfortunate kitten, so he could have been considered really lucky.

An unwanted child, blue eyed and with a hair of gold, people often wondered how come nobody wanted him. His parents from Midgard didn't want him, and his father in Asgard condemned him to live as this child, Theodore, his true identity forgotten, his love buried deep in his heart, where no one, not even himself, could find it.

He was raised by the monks, who had high hopes in him, that he himself will one day put on a robe, hang a cross around his neck and spread the word of God across the kingdom. For he was a good child, a golden child and as he grew, people around him started noticing he was unlike any other peasant hey had ever met. There was something in him, that made them wonder if maybe he was meant for bigger things in life than just be ordained.

A smile was always upon his face, ready to help to anyone who asked. The locals came for his help when they were in need. He will help out on the field, around the farm, he'll do anything, everything for his friends and neighbours, for that was how he was raised.

He spent his days helping others and his nights reading the Bible, trying to understand the word of God. Only on stormy nights would he get a little nervous, lying in his bed, tossing and turning, as if he was missing something, something he couldn't even remember existed. As much as he loved nights like those, he feared them as well, for they made him feel this way, nostalgic without a reason. But in the morning, everything would be just fine and he would regain his good will, continuing his peaceful countryside life, unbothered by the things he couldn't explain.

And then the day came, when pope has called upon all the knights and warriors of the realm, to join his 'holy' cause, to regain the city of Jerusalem and make it into a Christian stronghold.

Thor living as Theodore, raised as he was, decided to join the crusaders, leaving the plains and forests of France behind, wielding a sword, killing in the name of God, for that was what he was told to do. Serving under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon, he crossed half Europe and reached Middle East, leaving a bloody trail behind, a sin repented by that cross sewn onto his shirt and painted across his shield. For it was all done with a true cause on his mind.

In year 1099. he found himself in Jerusalem, inside the walls, as the city has fallen, leaving thousands of Muslims and Jews to flee for their lives. Those were the lucky ones, people who managed to escape and seek refuge outside of the city, the rest were slaughtered brutally on the spot.

And as the day came to its end, Thor felt he can no longer fight, the wound on his abdomen spouting blood, causing him to lose his consciousness. His last thought was that this might be the end and that he will probably die, but it wasn't such a bad notion, for he knew he would end up in Heaven - after all God was probably proud of the work he has done.

Three days later, he woke up, unable to recognize the place he was at, for he didn't quite imagine Heaven to be so… plain. But the face of the person before him sure belonged to an angel, causing Thor to smile and extend his arms in his direction.

"I gave him too much anaesthetic." The angel rolled his eyes and poured a cup of freezing water into Thor's face, causing him to jump up, which was quite painful, considering the stabbing wound.

"What are you doing?! You're not an angel!" Thor shouted at the man who just looked at him, confused.

"Um… who said I was one in the first place." He answered calmly and handed him a towel. "Here, wipe yourself off. And lie back down, you shouldn't be moving."

"Who are you?!"

"No one important. Now calm yourself down or you'll wake the rest of my patients up." The man ordered and brushed his black hair behind his ear. "You should be out of danger, but you still need to rest. I barely managed to sew your intestines back in, it would be a shame if you were to mess up the work."

He said and left Thor alone, surrounded only by other sleeping men, in what seemed to be a large tent serving as a temporary hospital.

He tried to remember if he has seen this man somewhere before, for there was something oddly familiar about his face and his green eyes and the way he rolled them when he was annoyed. But he couldn't have been one of the crusaders, right? Because, as long as Thor knew, they had no skilful men of medicine, only butchers who couldn't have done this marvellous job of sewing him up.

He touched his scar despite the pain and wondered about the mysterious man who was able to perform such a miracle.

The next few days he would use every opportunity to stop the man and ask him something, but the answer was never satisfying. When he came to change his bandages, he asked him if he could consider him a friend and all he got as an answer was a simple no. Being saved by this man made Thor feel connected to him in a way and wanted to get to know him better.

From his fellow injured men, he found out that the dark haired man's name was Lot and he was a half Muslim half Jewish man, trained in medicine and now allied with crusaders and healing their wounded. It wasn't much, but at least now he knew his name.

The next time he was paid a visit, he called him by his name.

"Hey, Lot!"

"I don't remember telling you my name." The man said as he removed Thor's stitches, inspecting the wound and its progress of healing.

"I guessed it." Thor smirked playfully but his smile soon turned into a painful expression, caused by his healer's hand pushing deeper into his wound.

"Are you mad? You're going to kill me?!" Thor cried out.

"Wouldn't that be a shame? It would make all my work in stitching you up worth nothing." He smiled wickedly, his hand still pressing.

"Let go!" Thor begged.

"You first, fair knight. Let go of me, let me be and I will do the same." He whispered into his ear, letting him know he had to stop with his questions and pestering.

"Fine…" Thor sighed. "I will…"

Once the pressure was off, Thor panted heavily, checking if there's blood on his stomach.

"I'm releasing you tomorrow morning, you recovered perfectly." Was the last thing he heard as the dark haired man walked away.

* * *

Loki returned to his house, throwing his medicine bag on the ground in anger. He cursed and poured himself a cup of wine, drinking it thirstily in one gulp.

At least one good thing came with this Christian invasion and that was the amount of alcohol they brought with themselves. In all his thirty years living on Earth as Lot, Loki never followed any rules for he belonged to no religion. His mother was a Jewish servant girl but he had never met her and his father was a wealthy Muslim merchant, or so the rumour said. It didn't matter, for streets of Jerusalem were the only parent Loki has known in this lifetime and it was here where he was raised. At least up until he was taken in by an old man of science, whose kindness he repaid with his body.

But it wasn't always that bad, it was thanks to that man he got an education and training in medicine which finally resulted in him inheriting his practice, along with the huge house and the garden after the man died from… 'natural' causes after drinking some poisonous wine.

In spite of all the bad things happening to him, Loki always managed to swim out on the surface, to survive even if it meant getting wounded in the process. Even upon the siege and fall of his city, he remained unharmed, thanks to his skills that were needed. And it wasn't that difficult, turning your back on the people who never accepted you in the first place, because of your mixed heritage.

Being cool and calculated was the only thing he has known and it was thanks to that he managed to survive this long, never feeling anything for anyone, hating the world and the people in it, then why did he finally feel something now?! Something opposite of hate and anger?

He was unable to rationalize the feeling of warmth around his heart upon seeing that sincere smile on Thor's face and the honesty in his clear blue eyes. No one has ever made him feel anything, then how come this big idiot made him all warm on the inside?!

"Go to Hell, knight!" He yelled to himself as he grabbed his chest, trying to calm his heart down, as he sought the assistance of sleeping potion in order to be able to fall asleep that night.

The next day, he ordered someone else to see 'Theodore' off, unable to face him. It was for the best, he thought. But he didn't count on that man's persistence, and soon, the young knight started bumping into him randomly in all places, pretending to be surprised by the meeting. Whether it was on the market or the inn, the young knight was always smiling at him goofily or waving a hello.

One day, after his shift has ended and he returned to his house, just as he poured himself something to drink, there was someone knocking on his door. His mind has told him answering the door will start an unwanted chain of events, but his heart was quicker and the door was open and there he was, standing before him, with that damned smile of his.

"I came for a check-up." Thor said and entered without being invited.

"I've seen you around the city, doing just fine, no need for one." Loki hissed away, walking two steps back, finding something eerily disturbing in Thor's presence.

"So, you've been looking for me?" Thor smirked victoriously, causing Loki to blush.

"I just happened to see you, everywhere I went, there you were. It was as if you were stalking me." He grunted.

"Maybe I was." Thor shrugged, his answer was sincere.

Loki looked at him, in awe, he wasn't used to people like this one.

"I wanted to thank you for healing me, but you never gave me the opportunity to approach you." He continued.

"I would have done it for anyone, it's my job, remember?! Helping people, even the enemy." Loki tried to keep his cool, but he soon lost it, for the sound from the outside made him shiver.

"Are you afraid of thunder?" Thor asked, amused by this new sudden change in 'Lot's' demeanour. He no longer stood before him proudly with an air of arrogance, but more modest, his posture hunched and pupils widened.

"No, it just came as a surprise. I hate thunder, it's a bad omen." He said as he remembered this was one sound of nature he has always hated. There was just something about it that made him shiver on the inside, he first thought it will pass once he becomes an adult, but with time, it has only gotten worse.

"It reminds me of home." Thor said nostalgically.

"If you miss your home so much you shouldn't have come here in the first place, you child." Loki snorted, proud of his quick wit, trying to play his fear of thunder off by focusing on someone else's weaknesses.

"I had to come here." The knight took another step in Loki's direction, closing the gap between them. "First, I thought of this as my holy duty, but now I see this all was supposed to happen so I could meet you." He lifted up his right arm and tried to cup Loki's face with his palm, upon which his hand was slapped away.

"Don't spout nonsense." He laughed at him. "You think this is destiny? No! It's nothing but a circumstantial accident that we ran into each other, one I wish to forget."

"Don't say that!"

"What do you know about life anyway, you were ready to sacrifice yours in the name of some faceless deity, you idiot!"

"And I did. I died that day from the wound and was resurrected by your hands." Thor came closer once again, now grabbing Loki's hands into his own, squeezing them tightly. "These hands!" He kneeled and kissed Loki's slender fingers, nuzzling his face in his delicate palms.

"What are you doing?" Loki sighed, unable to free himself from this tight grasp.

"I need you to heal me…" Thor mumbled still not letting go of Loki's hands.

Loki knew his defences were to fall any minute now, for seeing this large man on his knees made him feel weak in his own. He knew nothing could ever come out of this liaison, but he still caved in and disregarded the voices in his head telling him not to do it.

"What do you want?"

"You…" Thor looked up, his eyes sparkling.

"Fine… follow me." He whispered seductively into Thor's ear and walked slowly to his chambers, turning around just to see if he was behind him.

"What are you doing?" The knight was a bit confused by this sudden shift in personality.

"I'm healing you." Loki smirked as he disappeared in the dark room, causing Thor to quicken his pace in order to catch up.

He lit up some candles just so they wouldn't be in complete darkness and started to undress. He pushed Thor onto the bed, his expression still out of it.

"I assume you've never done it with a man? Being as religious as you are…" Loki said mockingly.

"Um… I never… with anyone, actually." Thor was grateful for the dim lightning, hoping the redness of his face wouldn't be as noticeable in this half dark room.

"Do you even have any idea of what's supposed to happen here?" Loki teased as he removed his last part of clothing, standing stark naked in front of the knight.

"I've seen sheep do it. And horses." Thor remembered his days helping out on the farms and answered bluntly.

Loki frowned as he reached for some oil and poured it over his hand.

"I'm not just some mare you're about to fill up with your semen, blondie."

"I know that. I'm going to fill you up with my love." He smiled as he tried to get rid of his breeches, uncovering his fresh scar, under which he was already half hard.

"You certainly have some nerve, boy, but remember one thing – this is it. After we do the deed, and your hunger's satisfied, we're done." He warned him as he pushed his fingers inside his tight entrance, trying to loosen it up quickly.

He finally straddled him, positioning himself right over Thor's cock, one hand on his shoulder the other guiding the throbbing member in. Thor arched his hips a bit, trying to get it in sooner than Loki intended but was soon met with a sharp pain in his abdomen.

"Mind you wound, I'd hate to see you bleed out in the middle of it." Loki pushed him down into the mattress, letting him know he's the one in charge.

"Ah! Lot!" Thor couldn't keep silent once he felt he was all the way in. It was a feeling unlike any other and he wanted it to last forever. "It's so warm inside you." He smiled wantonly.

"Don't speak, you're prettier when your mouth is shut." Loki licked his lips and brushed his hand gently over Thor's painful abdomen, causing him to whine.

As the slender body started moving up and down, Thor's hands flew to Loki's hips, cupping his ass and dictating the rhythm. He moved Loki up and down, enjoying the sensation that came from reaching that spot in the other man's body, the one that caused it to clench around his swelling.

It felt so good, Thor wondered how he managed to survive without this for all these years he has spent devoted to God and following the rules from the holy book. He wondered how he managed without this person who even in the midst of such a lewd act managed to stay graceful, moving perfectly above him, producing muffled moans of pleasure.

He disregarded the order from earlier, unable to stay silent.

"Ah, you're so good… Lot!" He grunted as he pushed his body up.

But nothing compared to the sweet sensation of spilling out and filling him up with his hot seed that came in waves. Just as he thought it was over, he spilled some more, arching his hips for a better angle.

When he noticed he was getting limp, he wanted to keep them in that position for a minute longer, but Loki was quick to flee from his embrace.

"Where are you going?" Thor grabbed his wrist, not letting him leave the bed.

"I need to clean myself up. Besides, I didn't finish." He motioned to his still erect cock. "Or do you wish to do it for me?" He laughed.

What followed surprised him greatly, as Thor was more than willing to help him out. He wrapped his hand around Loki's flesh and pumped it eagerly.

"What do we have here? You seem quite experienced in handy work, huh?" Loki said while breathing out loudly.

"Nights in monastery tend to get pretty lonely." He smiled, not backing down from what he was doing.

Loki tugged at the blond locks as he pulled Thor's head closer to his crotch, asking to be tended some more.

"Come on, give it a lick." He sneered, expecting him to back off and was pleasantly surprised upon feeling the wetness on his member, first in a form of licking and then completely engulfing it with his mouth.

Feeling the warmth of the knight's mouth around him, as his fingers were lost in his golden hair, he closed his eyes and threw his head back, wanting this feeling to last forever. He didn't last long and soon came all over Thor's mouth and face.

"What would your 'God' say if he saw you right now, indecent as you are, Theodore?" Loki lifted Thor's chin up and laughed, causing the man to blush.

"I'll probably burn in Hell for it." Thor said self-consciously and pulled himself away from Loki, wiping his lips with his hand. The salty aftertaste in his mouth lingered and he didn't mind it, not really, as it reminded him of what just happened.

"And yet that didn't stop you from coming over here tonight."

"I had nothing to lose." Thor shook his head. "But ultimately, it was worth it." He leaned into Loki, expecting to get a kiss, but was met with his hand over his lips.

"Now, let's not be sentimental. Especially not with that garbage in your mouth."

Thor looked at him, visibly hurt. "I thought that because you… gave yourself to me… that you might not hate me after all."

" Go home, knight, don't lose all of your dignity at once."

"Fine." Thor grunted and picked up his scattered clothes. "Thank you for healing me. Again."

"Oh and… what I said before, I meant it. This is it, don't come looking for me ever again. I know you might find it difficult after this, but…" Loki started but was interrupted midsentence by Thor's simple answer.

"Got it!" He clenched his teeth together and forced a smile. "I'll never bother you again, Lot." The look he gave him in the end was just heart breaking, noticeable even under the scarce lightning of the room. His large figure looked pretty miserable, all slouched and dragging his feet as he left the quarters.

After he was finally alone, Loki threw himself back on the bed, spreading his arms from one side to the other, enjoying his freedom. He wondered if it would have been better if he had let the knight stay over for the night, because judging by the sound of the rain coming from the outside 'Theodore' was about to have a long wet way back home.

"Nah… let him suffer a bit." He smiled to himself wickedly, wondering how long before the young crusader seeks out his body again.

* * *

Days passed quickly, but there was no sign of the knight on Loki's door. First he was relieved and then he started to wonder. Was he perhaps disappointed with the other night? Was Loki just a challenge he had no interest in once he has fallen under his charm? Was this his plan all along, to fuck him and discard him like an old rag? Sure, Loki has told him not to come searching for him ever again, but he never counted on Thor actually listening to him. He grew nervous in anticipation, causing him to lose focus in his everyday life.

Finally, he mustered up the courage and went looking for the knight himself, under the pretence of being worried for his patient and wanting to check on his injury.

"Theodore?" One of the crusaders asked about his colleague looked back at Loki in astonishment. "Poor guy…" He continued. "Apparently he was rejected by some girl and decided to join the scouting legion few days back. I told him his wound wouldn't be completely healed, but he wouldn't listen. He said he had no reason to live anyway and went with them. Last word we got is that they all died in the attempt to deal with the enemy." The knight shook his head.

"Are you sure?!" Loki took the man by his arms and shook him.

"Sir, I wish I was wrong about this. He was my friend as well."

Loki pushed the man away and hissed through his teeth. "He wasn't my friend!"

He ran to his house, where he smashed everything that came to his hands. Cups and plates, chairs, tables, books… everything flew around his house and once he has run out of objects he ripped his pillows and blankets as he threw himself over the bed, enraged.

Dead?! Dead? How can he be so selfish and die? – Loki screamed on the inside.

Once he finally ran out of energy and was left in his ruined bed, panting, he started recalling the events of that night in his mind, how they indulged in each other's bodies, how deep he has felt Thor inside of him as they shared the passion… He cursed himself for uttering such cruel words that night, throwing him out on the street in cold blood.

He noticed the sudden weakness that overcame him and as he looked around there was blood everywhere around him, the ripped and tangled sheets red from it. Where did this blood come from? Perhaps from these cuts on his hands, but when did he get those? Has he hurt himself while having that angry fir a moment ago?

He slumped back into the bed, feeling his body slowly going to sleep and his spirit trying to leave it and in those last moments of his life, Loki has wondered.

"Where is Thor?"


	3. Thomas & Lodovico

**A/N:** So, here you go, another chapter, approximately 250 years after the events in the previous one. This time, location is Florence, Italy. Thanks to everyone who's find some time to read it.

* * *

"I just wish I wasn't this bored all the time." Loki puffed as he walked through the town, accompanied by his elderly friend Andrea, a famous Florentine artist, responsible for decorating the town with his carvings and sculptures. It was a warm afternoon, made for pointless walks and chit-chats among old friends.

"I guess this is what it feels like once you've accomplished everything in life, huh, Lodovico?" Andrea wondered out loud, causing Loki only to sigh even more loudly.

To accomplish everything in life?

Maybe in the eyes of the others, since he was a wealthy man who has travelled through Europe, trading goods with other cities and countries, learning languages and being introduced to other cultures which resulted in him earning enough money to establish himself as a respectable banker. He lived in a luxurious villa with a garden, which was a rare commodity in the city centre and was married to one of the most beautiful women in all the Florence, Veronica, who was a daughter of a man even wealthier than 'Lodovico' and whose money she inherited.

So, of course everyone thought Loki was happy, why wouldn't he be? Accomplishing all of those things before the age of 35 was quite something. Yet, he felt as if something was missing, he just wasn't sure what. It was a faint feeling, a whisper, a notion… telling him he was still not complete as a person.

"I feel like I need a challenge in my life…" He complained to his friend.

"Well, I think I just might have something that could take your mind of the everyday boredom." Andrea suggested, causing Loki to stop and cast him an interested look.

"Speak of it, my friend, for I am dying to hear it."

Andrea explained how his business of building a church has come to a stall, unable to think of new ideas, without simply copying the already existing ones. He was in a dire need for some new and fresh creative force so he has taken in an apprentice from a faraway land, hoping he'll bring in a dash of fresh air.

The only problem was, the new apprentice spoke only his language, English, and the communication between the two was almost impossible. Knowing how Loki has done some trading with the English wool merchants, he suggested him acting as a tutor to his student.

Loki rolled his eyes, the suggested challenge not being what he had expected.

"I'm not a teacher, I'm a banker, a business man." He sighed.

"You just said you were bored out of your mind, and besides, you owe an old friend a favour." Andrea nudged him and winked.

"A favour?! Don't be ridiculous, old man." Loki laughed.

"Hey, who was the one speaking or should I say lying about your remarkable qualities to Veronica's father? Men more powerful and wealthier than you were fighting for her hand, yet I convinced her father you were the right choice for his precious daughter."

"Ha, and you think a word of an old artist vagabond was what sealed the deal?! Come on, that one is solely thanks to my irresistible charm and quick wit. And ethereal beauty, may I add." Loki laughed, only half joking. "Besides, a woman barely leaves her room, she spends half the day sleeping, the other half trying out dresses. Sometimes I wonder why I married her…"

"Oh, Lodovico, you know why you married her. You wouldn't be who you are today without her father's riches." Andrea reminded him. "So, what do you say? Want to cure your boredom by helping an old friend out?"

"Fine, whatever!" Loki finally agreed. "Where is that boy of yours?"

Andrea took him back to his atelier, filled with huge chunks of rock, and somewhere among them, there was a man carving something out. He was shirtless, his muscles flexing with every hit of the hammer, sweat dripping of his body. His long blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun and judging by the way he was breathing loudly, it was time for a break.

"That… is your apprentice boy?" Loki asked in awe. "He looks like one of the statues here! Are you sure he is seventeen?"

"That's what he told me." Andrea shrugged.

"How can you be sure if you don't understand the word he says?"

"He showed me using his fingers."

"Hm… what makes you think he knows how to count? He looks rather wild and unpolished." Loki said mockingly.

"He may look it, but I see a great potential with the boy. He's quite skilful with a hammer. Wait, let me introduce you to him. Thomas!" Andrea yelled, waving to boy to come over.

"Master!" Thor answered upon hearing his name 'Thomas' being called out and came over to his teacher and Loki, while pronouncing the only Italian word he knew.

"Thomas… this… is… Lodovico, my friend. He will…teach… you." Andrea started speaking Italian slowly, using his hands to motion first to Loki, then to his student, but was interrupted by Loki.

"You speaking it slowly won't make him understand." Loki smiled and reached his hand out to Thor.

"Nice to meet you, young man. My name is Lodovico."

"T-t-thomas, sir." Thor introduced himself shyly, grabbing onto Loki's hand, shaking it violently.

"You have quite a grip there, Thomas." Loki felt as if the bones in his hand were crushed by the handshake.

"S-s-sorry, sir. I'm just… umm… it's so n-n-nice to meet you." Thor said nervously clenching his hands.

"Andrea didn't mention you were a stutterer."

"I.. I'm not sir. You're the first person… to speak to me in a language I can understand." Thor said enthusiastically. "I was afraid I'm starting to forget how to speak."

"Well, that's why I'm here… I guess. To teach you how to speak Italian. Although, with this old weirdo, I doubt you missed out on much. Sometimes, it's better not to understand him." Loki motioned to Andrea, causing Thor to laugh out loud, showing his perfectly aligned white teeth.

"Hey, what are you two snickering about?" Andrea may not have understood what they've said, but he sure knew they were talking about him.

* * *

They agreed Thor would come to Loki's house every day where he would learn not only the language, but also how to read and write, since Loki found his inability to do either scandalous.

When the weather was nice and sunny, they would sit in the garden, Thor giving his best and failing, but instead making Loki laugh with his miserable attempts to produce a meaningful sentence.

"Why are you laughing at me? I know I'm pitiful, but you don't have to mock me." Thor said, his big blue eyes sincerely asking for an explanation.

"I'm not laughing at you. I just admire your persistence. If I were you, I would have given up already."

"Well, that's sure encouraging." Thor sighed and shut the book that was in his lap.

"Hey, don't be like this. I just applauded your will and you're giving up already." Loki tapped his back, causing Thor to flinch. Feeling this man's touch on his back was somehow too familiar.

"Just sitting with you here is enough. I don't need to learn all the time."

"Isn't learning the whole purpose of your coming to my house?! What do you suggest we do if not teach you how to speak, read, write… act more like a human being and less like a wild animal?" Loki was annoyed by the young man's reluctance to learn.

"You could pose for me. I'd like to make a statue of you." Thor answered bluntly, disregarding the offensive remark of his resemblance to some wild animal with no manners.

"Don't be daft, why would you want that?"

"Because since I saw you for the first time, wandering through the market, I wanted to carve you out in stone and preserve your beauty forever." Thor lifted his hand up, making a move towards Loki's face, caressing it gently with the tips of his fingers.

"The first time you saw me was at Andrea's workshop, not the market." Loki corrected him, staying still as the large hand gently touched his cheek.

"No. That was when we met. But I noticed you earlier. On my second day here, as I was wandering the unfamiliar streets of Florence, I thought I was lost and started to panic. People were rushing past me, speaking a foreign language; I was circling the market, not knowing which exit to take. And then I saw you, and all of the sudden, nothing else mattered. I knew it then, I wasn't lost… And that day, when Master Andrea brought you to the workshop, I couldn't believe my luck. All my prayers have been answered."

"You're being weird, Thomas!" Loki gasped and pushed his hand away from his face. He was a bit crept out by this sudden confession.

"But I speak the truth. Being here with you is…"

"Thomas! You are to stop this folly this instance." Loki said sternly and leaned away from the blond man. "You don't want people to hear you spout such things."

"Not people. Just you. Only you." Thor said sadly and gave Loki a tortured look.

He reached over to his hands and enveloped them with his large, rugged palms. Loki looked down nervously but didn't shake his hands off.

"What do you want from me, Thomas?"

"I want nothing of you, but what you are willing to give yourself. All I ask from you is to model for me, so I could build the most perfect statue ever known to men."

Loki sighed, sensing his defeat. Before he could say anything, he jumped up nervously, hearing his wife's voice calling him from the house.

"You better leave now, Thomas. Our lesson is finished."

"But… I…"

"Just do as I say and leave." Loki hissed nervously.

Thor stood up, his posture slouched, the look in his eyes defeated. He looked as if all his hope was lost. But he couldn't but to ask just one last time.

"Just come to Master's workshop… You'll see I mean you no harm."

"We'll see about that, now shoo!" Loki pushed him towards the gate.

Once Veronica joined him in the garden, the young man has already been gone.

"Where is your student?" She wondered.

"You know how artists are, all capricious and unpredictable. He left unexpectedly." Loki lied with ease.

"He's a strange boy, isn't he? I wonder how you put up with him." She laughed.

"Yeah, me too." He agreed.

* * *

"I thought the statues in church should be clothed." Loki said angrily as Thor ordered him to take his shirt off.

"Not this one." Thor shook his head and smirked mysteriously.

"It makes no sense." He argued, unwilling to take it off.

"I can take mine off as well if that will make you feel better." Thor suggested.

"No, thank you!" He refused, knowing it would only make him more conscious of his own body and his eyes might find it a distraction. He remembered how Thor looked without his shirt and it was quite a sight, more similar to a Greek god than a medieval builder's apprentice.

"Come on, be good." Thor approached Loki and offered to help him take his clothes off.

"Fine! But let me do it myself!" Loki finally gave in to the pressure.

"You see… you're perfect." Thor smiled gently, watching his pale skin. He wasn't as bulky as himself, but for a man who didn't do any physical work, he wasn't exactly in a bad shape, yet for Thor he was the best looking man he has ever seen.

"Don't say that." Loki's cheeks visibly blushed. "Just tell me, which biblical figure should I represent? You know… so I can get into character."

"Don't worry, you're perfectly in character."

"Besides, why do you need such a big chunk of rock, I thought you were making me in scale."

"It's for the wings." Thor said with a deadpan expression, as if having wings was a given.

"Wings? Are you making an angel?" Loki laughed at the idea.

"Ummm… not quite." Thor snickered.

"A demon? Because if you think I resemble a demon, I'm just going to stop bothering with you and walk out of your workshop this instance."

"Not just a mere demon, Lodovico. I'm making you into the king of the underworld, before he has fallen."

"Are you crazy?! Lucifer?! Is that what you think of me?!" Loki was offended and stood up from the podium where he was seated.

"Don't be offended by it." Thor sighed and came so close to Loki that he was able to look straight into his eyes and feel his breath on his face. "It was a compliment."

"Well, fuck your rude compliments." Loki grunted and looked away.

"You seduced me into wanting to give my soul away to you." Thor uttered a sentence that made Loki look back at him.

"Don't be spouting nonsense." He almost laughed out loud but soon regained his seriousness.

"It is not nonsense. It is the truth."

Loki couldn't believe what he was hearing, how this young man was completely obsessed with him. He wondered if it might have been just an act to get him to pose so he decided to test his limits.

"How far?"

"How far what?" Thor was confused for a moment.

"How far are you willing to go in this game of yours?"

"You think this is a game for me?" Thor frowned.

"Isn't it?"

"Of course not! I want you!" Thor blurted it out suddenly, his face blushing from the sudden wave of honesty.

"You mean, you want me to pose for you?"

"Not just that…"

"Oh…" Loki was not easily confused, yet this made him speechless.

"Since setting my eyes on you, I have wanted you! I'd do anything to convince you that what I say is true."

Loki didn't take much to recover and offer Thor a challenge.

"Fine then. If I tell you to spread your legs for me and moan under my body as I take you, will you do it?" He smiled wickedly, expecting a rejection.

"I told you already, I'd do anything." Thor was not bluffing as he started ripping his clothes off his body until he was stark naked.

"Thomas…" Loki gasped.

"Here I am, just as you ordered." Thor sat on the floor, spreading his legs apart, offering Loki a full view.

"Thomas, I…"

"It's your move, Lodovico." Thor said as he pushed his legs even further apart.

Tempted by the sight before his eyes, Loki forgot all about his previous hesitation. He fumbled with his breeches and as soon as they were off, he kneeled between Thor's knees.

"I hope you know what you're doing, boy." Loki grunted, pushing his body further down into Thor.

"Don't worry, old man." Thor teased as he pushed his own fingers in, trying to prepare himself. The expression on his face after being stretched out by two digits was quite a painful one.

"You know, once I get this thing in you, that's it, there's no way back." Loki warned him while stroking himself.

"Oh, I'm counting on it." Thor smiled despite the pain he was feeling. He knew it was probably going to get worse, judging by Loki's member, that was getting bigger each passing second, but he wasn't afraid.

The floor was cold and uncomfortable place for such an act, but little did they mind the bruises they might gain. Two panting bodies, grinding into each other, the friction and the tightness, occasional grunt and moan, fingers clutching into flesh… left them lying dishevelled on the floor, sore and sticky, covered in scratches and fluids… it was over sooner than they hoped for, but for that brief moment, it made them belong to each other, a feeling so good they wondered how they managed to ever be apart.

"So? Am I better than your wife?" Thor asked as his nuzzled his face into Loki's chest.

"Don't speak of her now, you're ruining everything." Loki growled as he remembered having a wife back at home. A wife he barely saw lately, a wife who slept in a different wing of the house, but still a wife in the eyes of the law.

* * *

His work has seen a little progress, for instead of carving out the stone, Thor would indulge himself in different activities every time Loki would visit him under the pretence of serving as a model.

Most of the times, their bodies were entangled and connected, their minds completely ridden of any thoughts but of each other. Once when the time came to present his recent works to his master, Thor had almost nothing.

"That boy has made almost no progress lately." Andrea complained to Loki. "Is he as lazy with you at your lessons?"

"Oh no… he's very… Active." Loki snickered.

"I don't know why he listens to you as much as he does, when I'm the one he should be obeying." Andrea shook his head.

"I'll talk to him for you. Don't worry." Loki consoled his friend.

"Yes, Lodovico, and go hard on him! You know how this project means to me!" Andrea said enthusiastically.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll go hard on him, I promise you that." Loki answered with a self-satisfying smirk, thinking of the ways that promise could be kept. "I'll make him work all night, if necessary." He added, wondering if he perhaps may have crossed the line, but Andrea saw no double meaning in it.

* * *

The big chunk of stone that was supposed to become Lucifer, was left undone, neglected, while Thor gave all his attention to the man next to him, gently undressing him, exploring his body and bringing them both ecstasy, once, twice or three times in a night, leaving no place in their minds for anything else.

One evening, as they were enjoying their post-coital bliss, Loki decided to start a conversation about a touchy subject, one that made Thor wince in his arms and lift his head up, leaving the comfortable position of nuzzling into Loki's chest.

"Andrea said you've been missing work lately…"

"Mhmmm..."

"Remember why you came here?" Loki stroked his hair gently, trying to talk reason into him.

"To meet you and give you all my love?" Thor smirked knowing it was not the answer Loki was looking for, yet he couldn't help himself.

"No, that's just a consequence of it. You're here to learn how to become better at your craft."

"I don't need to get better at it, I need to become better in my art of devouring you." He smiled and started licking Loki's exposed nipple, knowing that will get him in the mood and hopefully change the subject.

"Ah! Thomas…" Loki found it difficult to keep his composure and continue with this serious conversation, but he knew it had to be done. He pulled on Thor's hair, removing his tongue from his chest, stripping himself from this pleasurable feeling. "I'm being serious!"

Thor frowned as he reluctantly sat up in the bed. Being rejected like this was no fun at all. He looked at Loki, pouting.

"You don't love me as much as I do you."

"Thomas…" Loki sighed, crawling after Thor, putting his arms around him tentatively. "Don't say that…" He placed a gentle kiss on his neck. "I only want the best for you; I want you to excel at your work, to become the best man you can be."

"I'm the best when I'm with you." Thor said grumpily, yet he did not reject Loki's touches and kisses.

"Then prove it to me. Work as hard as you can and as a reward… I'll work you as hard as I can." He smirked, his hand reaching slowly but determinately to Thor's groin.

"Will you divorce her?"

Loki was surprised by this question coming seemingly out of nowhere. Never once during their time together has the subject of Veronica been discussed, existing only in theory but never getting in the way of their passion.

"I… why do you ask this all of the sudden?" Loki's hand stopped, his body moving away from Thor's.

"Isn't it logical? For me to expect you'll leave your wife and be with me?" Thor was surprised he even had to explain this.

"I can't just leave her! Everything I own is thanks to her… My house, reputation, wealth, my position in this society… I can't tell her to leave her house because I'll move my mistress in, a male one to make things even better." His voice got higher and his movements more erratic.

Thor felt his chest clench up upon being called a mistress, yet he did not argue with that, trying to avoid a bigger conflict. "You could come live with me?" He hesitantly suggested.

"Oh, yes, I can come and live in this hole of an improvised workshop loft you call home?" Loki snarled, finding the suggestion simply ridiculous.

"So, this place is fine as long as you get to leave after you fuck me? You go home to your wife and lead you perfect life, while I rot away in this hole, as you call it, thinking about you, counting hours until our next meeting…"

Loki has never heard Thor speak in this manner before, with his feelings put out on display so blatantly.

"I remember when we started this… I remember you saying you would ask only as much as I can give you, Thomas…"

"I guess I lied!" Thor shouted. "I wanted your everything from the start! Even before I've met you, I have wanted you!" He looked deeply into Loki's eyes, searching for a confirmation the other man felt the same, but the green eyes managed to look away before they were exposed.

"Thomas, I..." Loki shook his head and opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by a sudden cough that made it impossible to talk.

"Lodovico? Are you alright?" Thor worried. "Want some water?"

Loki waved out a 'no' as he barely managed to catch a breath and stop the coughing.

"Hey…" Thor leaned over him, trying to check if he was alright.

"I'm fine… It's just… I guess this is too much for me." Loki stood up, searching for his clothes.

"So… what does this mean? Are you leaving me?" Thor looked up, his eyes watery.

"I'm leaving… And you… You start working on that statue or else…" Loki ruffled his fingers through Thor's hair and crouched next to Thor, now looking up at him. "We'll talk about this. About us, our future, my… wife." He barely said that word. "But you have to take your job seriously."

"Lodovico…" Thor lowered his head, puckering up his lips, waiting for a kiss.

Loki placed a loud peck on Thor's mouth. "See you in a week."

Thor didn't get to enjoy the feeling as much as he would otherwise, for hearing their next meeting would be in one week disturbed him greatly.

"Why so long? I can't wait that much." He protested and grabbed onto Loki's hand, stopping him from leaving.

"Start working, get your shit together and then… we'll continue this."

"Ugh… I can't wait so long." Thor shook his head. "At least give me something to survive on."

Loki sighed, knowing too well his will has been too easily broken.

"Fine, but we have to make it quick." He murmured and before he knew it, he was already pulled on the bed, caught in a headlock.

"I'll fill you up with a week's worth of love." Thor laughed, forgetting about the spout they had only a few moments earlier.

* * *

A week lasted longer than Thor had expected. Each day dragged out endlessly, as he was cooped up in his workshop, carving up a perfect image of his lover, using only the images in his memory to go by. The project progressed perfectly and after one week was up, he expected a visitor to check on him, to see how he's doing, what a good boy he has been, obeying the orders. He glanced at the entrance, expecting Loki any moment, only to be disappointed upon seeing his master, Andrea enter the workshop.

"Wow, Thomas, I see this is going quite well. I almost regret badmouthing you the other day."

"Master! Have you seen Lodovico?" He asked about his lover immediately, ignoring his master's praise.

"Lodovico? No… But I saw Veronica in church today, she says Lodovico was feeling unwell this whole day, so he's probably in bed. Why?"

But instead explaining why he was in such a dire need to find out more about Loki's whereabouts, Thor rushed to the villa where his lover and his wife had resided.

His palms were sweaty and breathing was difficult, especially after remembering all these cases of people feeling sick lately. They would be fine one day and collapse the next, stricken with fever and sweating in agony. He recalled his next door neighbour dying from it two days ago, a mysterious disease everyone tried to downplay as flu. But there was something weird about it.

Thor was never a religious man in his life as Thomas, yet as he ran through the streets of Florence, he started praying for Loki's health. He promised he would do anything, just to see him healed.

He ran pass people looking pale in their faces, some of them coughing or puking right there on the pavement, so he covered his mouth with his sleeve as he tried to make his way through the busy streets.

Once he has reached the gate of the villa, he found it locked, but it didn't stop him from shouting, alarming the help he was there and demanding to be let inside.

"Our master is sick, he cannot see you." The elderly servant explained.

"But I need to see him." Thor clung desperately to the gate.

"It is not wise. It might be contagious. They say a disease has been brought from distant lands, by merchant ships. These last few days it seems it has turned into an epidemic."

Thor shook his head in denial. No, it couldn't be the deadly disease that spared no one. It was probably just fatigue. After all, Loki has complained a lot about being tired lately which wasn't much of a surprise, considering his blooming business endeavours during the day and passionate nightly activities with Thor during the night. And yes, the last time he saw him, he had almost choked while coughing, but that didn't automatically mean he was stricken by this horrible, fatal disease…

"I need to see him!" It was no longer a request, but a demand.

The servant reluctantly unlocked the gate, letting him in. But the way to Loki's room was riddled with more obstacles, this time, up on the stairs, he ran into Veronica.

"You dare showing your mug in my house?! Bastard!" She practically screamed.

Thor stood there for a moment, confused and then she continued.

"Prancing into MY house, after everything you have done?! You have no shame. I tolerated this for quite some time now, his constant visits and the way he spoke of you… How his eyes would sparkle upon mentioning your name. But you, here… I cannot stand it. It is your fault; it is all your fault!" She yelled angrily, pushing him away, hitting his chest with her fists.

Thor never realised she was familiar with her husband's extramarital relationship, but now it all made sense. Of course she must have found it suspicious. After all, Loki was absent from home every night, returning at early dawn. He endured the blows coming from her, they were probably well deserved.

"Now neither of us will have him!" Was the thing that made Thor's blood go cold and he grabbed her violently by the wrists, demanding an explanation.

"What kind of a cruel joke are you playing on me?"

"Go and see for yourself…" She said tearfully, moving out of his way, letting him through to the door.

Thor stormed into the room, surprising an unsuspecting doctor who was standing above a body covered with a blanket.

"No!" Thor yelled upon seeing that scene and rushed to the bedside, uncovering the blanket.

"Don't do that, it is highly contagious." The doctor warned him, but with little effect.

Thor was kneeling on the floor, hugging Loki's still warm body.

"Please, wake up!" He begged him, but Loki's face was expressionless, pale and calm as if he was sleeping tightly. "Wake up, Lodovico!"

"He died quarter an hour ago." The doctor announced, but Thor didn't care. A minute or an hour, it was all the same, for his 'Lodovico' was no longer with him.

Veronica was standing in the doorway, in tears, wondering if perhaps she was a bit extreme in her cruelty with this young man who obviously cared for her late husband.

"Did Lodovico ever mention to you… having a brother?" She asked. Causing Thor to turn around, his eyes overflown by tears and his hands still on Loki's body.

"No… He said he was an only child. Why?"

"In his last moments, while he barely spoke from all the blood coming out his lungs, he mentioned how he must speak to him. He said he wanted to see his brother. Guess illness made him mad in the end."

"Oh, Lodovico…" Thor sighed, caressing his face, regretting his absence from the last moment of his lover's life. He knew it was probably very inappropriate to sit here, in this woman's home, but he didn't give it much thought, for he needed this time to say a proper farewell, leaving only after the doctor started pulling onto his hand, warning him about the danger of lingering at his bedpost.

He didn't even know how he found his way back home, or how he had the strength to start working again on the statue, nor where he found the will to finish it… But it was worth it. Soon, he got to see Loki again, standing before him just as if he were real. His face smirking permanently, his eyes glistering seductively, his wings spreading across the room.

Andrea walked into the workshop, catching Thor as he was gently caressing his work's stony face.

"So, it's finished?" He was amazed to see the statue in all its glory. "Wow! Don't you think he looks like… like our friend, rest his soul?"

Thor shook his head. "No, Master. It's just a copy, nowhere near the perfection that he was."


End file.
